User blog:Brady26/The Hunting Lodge
As the group stood in the teleporation circle, Barion ready to speak the phrase that would transport them through the mists to lands unknown, they hesitated and in that moment others stepped through the portal, Dralmorrer and Azbara Jos stood before them. Questions raced through their minds; where does this portal lead? What was the cults plan with all this gold? Will they find the mysterious Rezmir or will she ever allude them? And perhaps most importantly...what happened to Barra? Sitting at the shores of the Meer, having just said goodbye to his friends from Greenest, ready to return to the sea where he thought he might find some enlightnment on what his destiny was. Destiny however had other plans for him, as he was struck at the back of the head, knocking him unconcious, an unseen figure apologising and placing something in his pocket as he was dragged away somewhere dark. He heard voices, about some deal being made around him, more dragging and darkness, through mud, and rain, and cold we was taken, alone with his thoughts he kept silent as his head rang from the blow he had taken, a gag preventing his prayers reaching any diety that might be listening. He heard a voice say to take him through the tunnels, more darkness, eventually the sound of croaking and hushed draconic, the first ounces of food and water given to him in days, being presented before someone in the cold then dragged off once more as mist surrounded him, casting his body somewhere new. As he swayed from the strain of the ordeal, he looked up, and saw his friends once more, and knew that it must be divine provindence that brought him there...or sheer dumb luck. Azbara believed that the group were making their move against Dralmorrer, to try and gain status within the Cult by removing him, and as he had already discussed with the group that he would remain neutral in such an interaction he took his leave, teleporting away wishing both parties luck. As Dralmorrer realised that Azbara had betrayed him, and that the group were possibly attempting to usurp him, he drew his weapon, the blade responding to his magic and floating out of its scabbard. Dralmorrer also noticed Darion, the giant man adorned with holy symbols that the former Quel'Doran Legionnaire recognised as belonging to the Hallowed Assault, the group having allied with the holy order to defeat him, he ordered his Dragonwings to attack. The groups clashed in the low mists of the teleportation circle. Dralmorrer and Kadmos dueling one another as the other tackled the Dragonwings to give Barra a chance to free himself. As the two elves struck at one another, their stances mirroring one another as they exchanged blows, Kadmos seized an oppurtunity and disarmed Dralmorrer, the desperate warrior recalling his blade to his hand to try and defend himself. Kadmos however was relentless, and slashed away Dralmorrer's attempts to block him, exposing his chest, which Kadmos peirced through with his magic blade. As Dralmorrer slumped forward, trying to steady himself against Kadmos, he looked in his opponent's eyes and fell back dead, the remaining Dragonwings falling into a rage as they attempted to avenge their fallen commander, but they too were defeated by the group, with Darion crushing the last with his hammer. The group gathered themselves together, Kadmos gathering up some of Dralmorrer's tokens and effects, as they readied to traverse the teleportation circle. Holding hands once more, Barion spoke the passphrase, Draezir, the mists surrounding them and casting them along the Silver Veil to a cold and mountainous forest. They stood before a hunting lodge, next to a quiet forest, two other portal markers nearby. There was no sign of Azbara Jos, so they decided to hide inside the forest, darting in they searched for a place to rest, eventually finding a unoccupied bear cave behind a waterfall where they rested for the night, taking turns to keep watch over the portals to see who comes and goes from the lodge. They waited and saw two Dragonwing's arrive from one portal covered in snow, and they entered the lodge carrying a chest of some sort. As Kadmos was hunting for some small game to feed the others, he saw a large figure moving through the woods with many arms and a drake with it. Trying his best to hide from it, the creature seemed to catch Kadmos' scent, but left after a moment, Kadmos returning to the others to tell them of the encounter. By sunrise the group went to inspect the lodge, Barion sending Murry to explore the outside, the psuedodragon noticing a pair of perytons roosting atop the roof with a pile of treasure in their nest. Inspecting the rear of the lodge they noticed an entrance next to a well and a stables. The group entered the lodge, fast talking their way past the servants they encountered, exploring the rooms within. They uncovered a number of banners depicting scenes similar to those they found in Rezmir's sanctum back in Naerytar. Exploring other rooms the group woke one of Talis' bodyguards when Barra attempted to steal the bed clothes off the bed, with only the intervention of Darion preventing them from being spotted. Wessic ansered the door which they hide behind, they quickly convinced him were mercenaries that had been sent for and were looking for rooms they could rest in. The groggy veteran pointed them to the other side of the hall where the guest quarters were. Instead of going there, the group moved onto the next door where they were told to go away, the occupants believing them to be the servants of the house, but when they knocked they quickly told the bodyguard that answered the door that they were mercenaries and that Wessic had pointed them to this room, the bodyguard showed them to the guest quarters and said the servants would be up later. Category:Blog posts